


Miles To Go

by Annie17851



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Post-Darkness, Riding In Cars with Boys, promising ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 10:24:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7357498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annie17851/pseuds/Annie17851
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean wants to enjoy the journey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Miles To Go

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little thing for the Fic Contest at Destiel Forever. Fic contest #1

Miles to Go

 

Dean Winchester glanced over to his right, taking in the sight of the ex-angel riding shotgun with him. Castiel was maybe-sleeping, breathing evenly, travel- and hunt-messed hair against the window, nothing but darkness beyond. It had been a long ride up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains for the werewolf hunt Sam had found, and it seemed to be an even longer, darker ride back. 

Dean should have been tired out, but he was still a bit – something he was afraid to name – from the close call they’d had. Cas had. Dean could see, even in the dark of the car, the five long tears in Cas’ coat, where the werewolf had lashed out viciously. Dean had shot the creature just in time, and the werewolf had been blown backward, claws failing to reach Cas’ skin. Close. Too close, and the thought of injury to a now-mortal Castiel shook Dean’s insides. Even now, when Cas’ safety was clearly evident mere feet away.

Dean went back to concentrating on the road again; two-lane, twisting, ribboning its’ way through a seemingly endless forest. There had been no sign of civilization for miles. Abandoning the search for a radio station, Dean had pushed a cassette into the player and way-too-low Metallica was easing the silence, in deference to his sleeping hunting partner. 

Dean cleared his throat, deliberately too loudly.

“I am not sleeping,” Cas muttered, pulling his head away from the window, moving it around a bit to get a kink out of his neck. 

“Yea, right,” Dean scoffed. “Good imitation, though. If you reach to that bag on the back seat, there are some snacks. Sam threw them back there when we were leaving.” 

“Not really hungry,” Cas replied. “Where are we?” he asked, seeing nothing but woods, road and night through the windows. 

“Ass end of nowhere, I think,” Dean told him. “No civilization in sight. Might have to pull over and drain the dragon soon.”

Cas frowned. “Drain the…..Oh, yes, a Gas-N-Sip would be convenient.” He agreed. 

“Well, it’s three hours till we get home and probably an hour till we see anywhere to stop.” Dean said decisively, pulling over to the side of the road. He shut off the engine, all but leaping out of the car and heading into the tree line. Not too far in; they hadn’t seen another car for an hour. No privacy issues here.

“Might as well,” Cas sighed to himself, exiting the car, stretching his cramped muscles and following the hunter.

“Get your own tree, Cas!” Dean complained when he heard Cas coming closer. So much for the privacy. 

“Oh, yes. Apologies, Dean,” Cas replied, finding his way in the dark to a different tree some yards away. 

After a minute, business concluded, Castiel just stood there, eyes closed, human senses trying to track the sounds and smells of the forest. No human experience of it was anything close to what he would have sensed if he still possessed his Grace. 

His own business finished, Dean turned to go back to the car and stopped. Castiel was just standing still in the dark, eyes closed and face raised to the night sky. Dean wondered what the once-angel could hear or, more specifically, not hear anymore. Since he stayed. Since he fell, and Dean’s heart would forever twist with guilt at the thought of all Cas had given up. The hunter suspected (No, you know Dean, the little twist inside said) the angel’s sacrifice was for Dean himself. 

“Cas?” Dean finally interrupted quietly. 

“I’m ready,” Cas reported simply. But he stood another few seconds, taking in the dark peace of the forest. “The woods are lovely, dark and deep,” he recited. 

“But I have promises to keep,” Dean added, as they turned to walk to the car. “Frost. Always loved that. Did you know him? Or whatever.” 

“I was always busy with the garrison,” Cas answered. “I would have liked to, though.” 

“That would have been cool,” Dean mused. “Too bad…..” He stopped there, unwilling to remind Castiel, ex-angel, what he’d lost. 

They got back into the car in silence then, Cas preferring to ignore Dean’s interrupted statement. Dean pulled back onto the road and drove on in silence for a few long minutes.

Cas leaned his head against the window again and closed his eyes. Dean’s mind turned back to thoughts he usually tried to avoid. 

Cas was here. Castiel, angel of the Lord, stayed on Earth. Months ago, after they had finally defeated the Darkness, God (Chuck, whoever) had demanded Castiel choose. Heaven or Earth. Given the choice, Castiel always chose the Winchesters. Chose Dean.

Every time.

So now, Cas was human. Vulnerable. Mortal. Dean had a very hard time wrapping his head around it. Around the fact that Cas had chosen them (You, Dean, the little twist told him. He chose you.) Dean figured he didn’t deserve it. Didn’t deserve the loyalty. The sacrifice. The love. 

Dean cleared his throat too loudly for the second time.

“Still not sleeping,” the tired, gravelly voice assured him.

“Cas,” Dean started, the fell silent again.

“Dean,” Castiel countered.

“I have to ask, Cas, but you don’t have to answer.” 

“I’ll answer if I can,” Cas promised. 

“Are you- okay – here?” Dean asked looking over at his passenger. Cas’ blue eyes looked black in the darkness. 

Cas opened his mouth to reply, but Dean saw it coming and shook his head. “Not here in the car,” he clarified. “Here. Grounded. With us. Sam and me.” 

“I would not be here otherwise, Dean,” Cas insisted, turning slightly to give Dean his full attention now. 

“Cas, what you did. What you gave up. All the things you gave up for us….”

“For you, Dean,” Cas told him, leaning toward Dean a bit more. “For the Righteous Man. At first, anyway, but then….”

Dean gave him a sharp warning look and Cas stopped speaking. The hunter sighed and forced his attention back to the dark road.

“Can we just take a minute here, Cas? Just…..I can’t. Not just yet. Hold those thoughts for a little while yet, okay?” Dean pleaded. 

Cas gave him a slight smile, barely noticeable. “Well, for now, I just want to let you know that it was an easy choice. I would not have wanted to live forever without you.” 

Dean nodded, sparing another look at his angel by his side. “Okay then, Cas. I get that, believe me, I do. I know.” He assured Cas meaningfully, reaching out to briefly run his fingers along a stubbled jawline. “I’m just gonna drive for now.”

Castiel relaxed back against his seat again, already missing the heat of Dean’s touch. “This is nice,” he agreed. “Just driving through the dark woods. Just us.”

“Well, then, Cas,” Dean smiled, “We’re just gonna drive. We’re just gonna drive all night!”

Cas leaned his head against the window again. So dark outside. He could barely see the trees as the Impala whipped by them. 

Dean settled more comfortably in the driver’s seat.

They still had miles to go, Cas and himself, but Dean was going to enjoy the journey.


End file.
